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Monday, 17 June 2013

Nigerian Government Detains Kenyan Jet and Kenyan Government Officials Over Chinedu Deportation

Chinedu: Image Courtesy

Lagos, Nigeria: Seven Kenyan Government officials and five
airline crew have been detained in Nigeria for two weeks after they
travelled to the country to deport Nigerian businessman Anthony Chinedu and two of his compatriots.

The officials from different government
departments including foreign affairs, immigration and police, left
Nairobi for Lagos in a chartered aeroplane on June 3 escorting the
controversial businessman and two other Nigerians, Christopher Nnanyelu
and Oluwatosin Adebiyi. The three had been declared prohibited
immigrants in Kenya.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the
officials have not been allowed to leave Nigeria. They said authorities
at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos were holding them
and their chartered East African Safari Express plane.

According to them, Nigerian authorities have
insisted the Kenyans will not be allowed to fly out without the three
men Kenya kicked out on drug trafficking claims.

Speaking to the Daily Nation from Nigeria
on Sunday, one of the officials, who requested anonymity, said that
attempts by the Kenyan embassy to secure their release had been
unsuccessful.

Escorted deportees

Those stuck in Nigeria include Captain Tim Kavingo
and his colleagues, flight engineer Alaka Ochieng’ and flight
attendants George Kamau and Ismail Adan.

A Nigerian journalist confirmed to the Nation
that the aircraft was being held at the airport’s cargo air wing. The
airline’s office in Nairobi did not return our calls on Sunday.

Sources indicated that the government of Sweden
had already contacted its embassy in Nigeria to secure the release of
the flight officer.

“We are stranded here. The airport commander has
instructed that we cannot return to Nairobi without the deportees,” said
the official who called the Nation from his hotel room.

The airport commander had blocked attempts by the
East Africa Safari Express management to fly its crew back to Nairobi on
a Kenya Airways flight. On Sunday evening, Foreign Affairs ministry’s
Head of Communication Beatrice Kung’u admitted that several Kenyans, who
accompanied the Nigerians deported 10 days ago, were still being held
in Lagos.

But she could not discuss the circumstances under which the Nigerian authorities were detaining them.

“We are addressing the issue,” she said, but added that only the Immigration authorities could discuss the details.

Principal Secretary in the Interior ministry Mutea
Iringo on Sunday said he was yet to receive information on the plight
of the crew, but said he would check with the police.

They lost contact with the deportees after they arrived in Nigeria, the PS, under whose ministry Immigration falls, said....Source - Daily Nation.